Go West, Young Pirate
by Nroque18
Summary: A piece of the map to El Dorado went to Cool Ranch, Marco Pollo's birthplace, with Christopher Clark, his navigator. Matt and his crew need to find it, but first they'll have to deal with angry Bison, both living and dead, and the Red Sash Gang. The fifth installment in Pirate Legacy.
1. Chapter 1

**Go West, Young Pirate**

Chapter One

"Listen well, for I break a vow to tell you this. Marco Pollo was the keeper of a terrible secret. He burdened me with it in the hour of his death." Brother Varo said inside of the Queen's library at Saint Bonobo's Abbey.

We had come to Monquista to find a lead on Marco Pollo's map to El Dorado, in the form of his last words to the Unicorn standing in front of me and my trusted associates.

"Pollo spoke of El Dorado. He said no one must ever go back there – Powers sleep in El Dorado that could destroy the entire Spiral if they awaken."

"He spoke of his map, whispering that Christopher Clark, his navigator, kept it safe in Cool Ranch, the land of Pollo's birth. This helps you?"

"I've been to Cool Ranch – the Stormgate's near Flotsam." Jack Russell, one of my trusted associates and an old friend of my deceased parents, spoke up.

We thanked Varo and headed back to our ship, the _Aquila_. We sailed west to the Stormgate to Skull Island. Once we had passed through safely, we sailed south to Flotsam Skyway.

As the Aquila neared the Stormgate, I pressed the Windstone in the center of the pilot's wheel, and the Aquila was surrounded by a transparent force field that protected the ship from the winds of the Stormgate.

But even with the Windstone's protection, Stormgates presented difficult circumstances for a sailor to work in, so a sailor's first time on the top deck in a Stormgate was like an initiation rite

Rena issued orders for tacking to the men, while I constantly adjusted the Aquila according to the winds. As we reached the bottom of the Stormgate, we all tied ourselves to the Aquila, and she leaned forward as we entered, so that the deck was nearly vertical while the winds howled in our ears.

My eyes were closed and my heart was beating rapidly, as if it were trying to achieve a lifetime's worth of heartbeats before what could be the end, but then the _Aquila_ suddenly righted herself.

As I opened my eyes, it was as if we were traveling through a dark tunnel illuminated by the light at the end and the sky blue auroras surrounding us like a loose glowing braid.

As we neared the light at the end and entered the Stormgate on the other side, the deck went almost vertical again as the wind howled in our ears, but then the _Aquila_ righted herself, and as we were out of reach of the Stormgate, I breathed a sigh of relief.

As we drew closer to a town built atop flat plateaus, our gunnery officers, the Clutterbuck brothers, David and Richard opened the bulkhead doors at the base of the main mast, and the men poured out from below decks to resume their posts.

My first mate, Rena Raden was flipping through the pages of an atlas written by our friend and landlord, Nikolai Volkov.

"That town over there's called Cooper's Roost." Rena said to me as she pointed towards the town.

"Let's make port there. I could use a cool drink in this heat, and it is breakfast." I said. We dropped anchor in the docks of Cooper's Roost, where as I and my trusted associates stepped onto the wooden dock, I spotted a Rooster deputy walking down the dock.

As we approached him, the deputy called out: "Well howdy, strangers!"

"If you don't mind me asking, my friends and I are looking for Christopher Clark." I said as the deputy drew to a stop in front of us.

"Looking for Clark, you say? Can't say I know him. I'm new here myself. I just transferred in from Tumbleweed." The deputy answered.

"Head on over to the Silver Spur Saloon, at the end of Main Street. Talk to Miss Jane, she'll steer you right."

We nodded our thanks as we walked into town. We soon found the Silver Spur Saloon, with a silver spur painted on a sign above the two wooden doors leading inside.

We entered the saloon, where several of the townsfolk were scattered all around the room, eating and drinking at the round wooden tables.

As my trusted associates spread out, I sat down at the bar, where a Canary wearing an apron over a brown dress was wiping down tankards.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I'm looking for a Miss Jane." I said. The Canary smiled as she slid down a tankard down the counter. "Well, you've found her. What can I do for you, stranger?"

"My name's Matt Exeter, and my friends and I are looking for Christopher Clark." I answered as I caught the tankard and peered inside to see that it was coffee.

"You're looking for Christopher Clark? Well, I hope you brought a shovel. He's dead and buried, you see." Miss Jane answered.

I guess my face must've fallen, because then Miss Jane said: "Don't fret! Old Mr. Clark has a son, Merriweather, who still lives right here in Cooper's Roost. Maybe he can help you."

"Head outside, turn left at the blacksmith's, then cross the stone bridge to the bluff. That's where the old Clark Place is. You can't miss it."

I nodded in thanks. "My friends and I'll head there after breakfast."

"Would you like a hen-fruit stir and long sweetening?" Miss Jane asked. I nodded a bit unsurely, and ten minutes later, Miss Jane returned from the kitchen with a plate of pancakes with molasses.

After we had eaten, I thanked Miss Jane for the meals and left some money on the counter to pay for it, and I and my trusted associates walked up to the old Clark Place.

We walked up to the doorway, where Rena knocked on the door, and after a minute or so had passed, she then tried to twist the doorknob.

"The door is locked. Clark's not here." Rena said.

"Wait, there's a note. What's it say?" Bonnie Anne, one of my trusted associates, said as she gestured for us to step off the doormat so she could lift it up to reveal the note.

Bonnie picked up the note and began to read aloud. _"Not at home. Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Elmore Coop, Cooper's Roost – Merriweather Clark." _

"We passed a Dr. Coop's office back on Main Street. Let's get to it!" Ratbeard, another one of my trusted associates, said. We headed back to Main Street, where we found a whitewashed building with a sign saying: "Dr. Coop's Office."

We opened the door to find a middle-aged Chicken wearing glasses working at a desk. "Excuse us, but the note at the Clark Place said to come find Dr. Coop."

"Isn't Merriweather back yet?" The Chicken asked as he looked up from his paperwork. I shook my head. "I'm afraid not."

"I've known Merriweather his whole life. He's a dear boy, but absentminded. The lad's off taking weather readings and whatnot." Dr. Coop said.

"If I had to guess, I'd say he's visiting his professor friend – ah, what's his name… Murgatroyd! That's him! Down in Arroyo Grande."

"He should have been back by now. I hope he hasn't gotten into any trouble. If you could find him and tell him to come home, I'd be much obliged."

I nodded as we left the doctor's office to round up the men. We boarded the _Aquila _to sail southeast to Arroyo Grande, a grand canyon where a town had been built atop a great bridge that connected the two sides of the canyon.

"I bet we can find a way down into the canyon in Junction." Rena said as she pointed to the town. We dropped anchor, and I and my trusted associates soon found lifts with two platforms, one up in Junction, and one down in the canyon, manned by a Chicken.

"Are you strangers looking to get down into the canyon? Just step aboard the lift and I'll lower you down." The Chicken said.

We stepped aboard the platform, and the Chicken pulled a lever to lower us down, while at the same time lifting up the platform on the canyon floor.

We stepped off the platform onto the canyon floor, where a creek flowed beside a camp with its fire still burning. A Dog wearing gentlemen's clothing sat in front of the fire.

"Excuse me sir, but we're looking for Merriweather Clark." I said to the Dog.

"Clark? Ah yes, that charming Chicken fellow! He was here, not long ago. Gone now, I'm afraid – off experimenting." Professor Murgatroyd said.

"As I recall, he said he was on his way to Big Sky Country, something about the Bison Burial Ground. Look for him there."

"Thank you, professor." I said. We headed back to the _Aquila_, where we sailed northwest into Cooper's Roost Skyway, and the Bison Burial Ground came into view, a plateau with a dock for the Bison's ships.

As I and my trusted associates stepped onto the dock and went further into the burial grounds, near the entrance of a cave, we heard a scream.

"Help me!" A female voice cried.

"She's in the cave! Hurry, guys!" Rena said as she drew her sword. We followed her into the cave, where torches were suddenly lighted to reveal a Chicken in a nurse's uniform restrained by a Bison warrior.

More Bison warriors wielding tomahawks and bows entered the lit part of the cave, where they surrounded us with their weapons raised, and I along with Bonnie and Emmett, a newly made lieutenant, fired our guns in an opening volley.

As four Bison fell, stunned, one Bison warrior swung his two tomahawks at me, and I leapt out of the way. He swung his two tomahawks again, but this time I caught them with the flat of my sword.

I kicked him in the stomach, and then slammed the flat of my blade into his head, knocking him out. Another Bison aimed his bow towards me, and I leapt out of the way of his arrow.

I returned fire with Gunnery and after the archer was knocked out, I saw Rena knock out another Bison warrior.

Those of us with swords were covering Bonnie and Emmett while they reloaded, and our resident hoodoo expert, Old Scratch summoned bones from the earth to act as floating clubs.

I quickly reloaded my pistol to stun another Bison warrior from behind, and Rena threw a smoke bomb in the midst of the Bison warriors, and she ran into the smoke. When the smoke dispersed, she was surrounded by unconscious Bison. "That's the last of them!"

"Spirits of my grandfathers arise! Defeat all who pillage this sacred place!" The Bison warrior restraining the Chicken nurse shouted. "Spirits of my grandfathers arise! Defeat all who pillage this sacred place!"

"Help me, please!" The Chicken nurse cried as ghosts taking the shape of Bison rose out of the ground to block us.

"Old Scratch, you're up!" I said. Old Scratch nodded as he ran forward and waved his staff. He summoned giant ghostly skeletal hands to restrain the Bison ghosts so he could blast them with purple lightning.

In a finishing move, Old Scratch waved his staff again, summoning a giant floating skull to breathe purple mist onto the Bison, and as the skeletal hands let go, the Bison ghosts fell to the ground and sank back into the earth, defeated, but Old Scratch looked exhausted.

"Spirits of my grandfathers' pets arise! Defeat all who pillage this sacred place!" The Bison warrior restraining the Chicken nurse shouted. Four ghostly jackalopes with the bodies of jackrabbits and the antlers of deer rose out of the ground, with the leader twice as big as the rest of them.

The lead jackalopes made strange noises as he and his fellow jackalopes hopped towards us.

"I… I not see that coming, captain my captain." Old Scratch said.

"Me neither." I agreed.

"The Bison must be getting desperate if he needs to summon jackrabbits with antlers to beat us." Rena said to me. "Let's go!"

**Author's Note: This first chapter was a bit of recap of the story for me, and my writing may have gotten a little rusty, but thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Go West, Young Pirate**

Chapter Two

As the lead jackalope jumped towards me, I fired Gunnery to its head, knocking it out of the air.

As another ghostly jackalope ran towards me, it stumbled over a rock, and now knowing they were solid, I tripped the jackalope with my sword and stabbed it, causing it to disperse like smoke.

Rena leapt out of the way of a charging jackalope's antlers and threw her dagger into its side, dispersing it. Bonnie fired a burst of electricity from her Scaramanga musket, and another jackalope fell down.

Emmett fired his two pistols, taking down two more jackalopes, and Jack swiped his sword at the feet of the jackalopes. Old Scratch stayed in the back to regain his strength while Ratbeard chopped off the antlers of a jackalope.

As the last of the jackalopes were defeated, we all looked around for the Bison warrior and the Chicken nurse, but the warrior had fled, leaving behind the nurse.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we sheathed our weapons and ran over to the nurse.

"I am now, thanks to you. I'm Quinn." The nurse answered. "It was horrible! I was helping young Mr. Clark compile his star charts when a horde of Bison attacked. They've taken Merriweather prisoner!"

"They were shouting about thieves pillaging their holy ground. But we didn't steal anything, Merriweather is innocent!" Nurse Quinn said. "I managed to hide in here while he distracted them."

"I can get back to Cooper's Roost – you get to Elder Bluff and rescue Mr. Clark before something awful happens!"

"Elder Bluff is in Big Sky Country, to the southeast of here. Let's go!" Rena said. We boarded the _Aquila _and took a nearby glowing stretch of sky called a Windlane, colored purple to Big Sky Country. Since the air currents inside the Windlane pushed the ship along, there was no need for me to steer.

At the bow of the ship, I took out my spyglass from the inside of my coat and raised it to my eye, searching for Elder Bluff. As a Bison village came into view atop the bluff, I put away my spyglass and walked back to the pilot's wheel.

We left the Windlane and dropped anchor at the dock in front of the Bison village, where more than a few of the Bison gave us wary looks as I and my trusted associates walked into the village.

"I guess they're not too fond of strangers." Rena said as we walked. Just then, a Bison warrior wearing a wolf pelt over his head and shoulders and armed with two tomahawks stepped in front of our path.

"You are not welcome here, hornless ones!" The Bison warrior said. "What makes you think you are worthy to stand among the Big Sky Hunters?"

"Our chief will decide your fate – you will find him in the lodge. Do not speak to me – I will not hear your words!" The Bison warrior said, pointing to a large decorated tent in the center of the village, with smoke coming out of a hole at the top.

We curtly ignored the villagers as we entered the lodge, where a Bison wearing a feathered headdress, presumably the chief, stood up from the seat of honor among his braves around the fire.

"Who is this who comes where they are unwelcome? You are not of our people, hornless ones! Braves, remove these intruders!" The Bison chief said as his braves stood up and drew their weapons.

We quickly fired our guns, stunning four of them, and I sheathed my pistol to draw my sword just in time to stop the tomahawk of a Bison brave.

I kicked my attacker in the stomach and slammed the flat of my blade into his head, knocking him out. I snatched a burning stick from the fire and gently pressed it into the side of another brave, sending him yowling in pain.

I pressed the burning stick again into the crook of another brave's knee, and as his legs buckled, I knocked him out with the flat of my blade.

I was suddenly surrounded by braves, and as they all brought their tomahawks down, I shouted: "Valor's Shield!"

A blue force field surrounded me, and the braves' tomahawks dug into it before suddenly being ejected, sending their wielders reeling backwards.

One of the braves recovered and swung his two tomahawks down only to be met with the flat of my blade. I drew my pistol and fired Gunnery into his stomach, sending him onto his back, groaning.

The Bison chief suddenly held out his palm, and the braves immediately withdrew to their chief's side.

"Hornless one, you fight with strength beyond your size. There may be virtue in this one's heart after all. Perhaps I should listen to your words." The Bison chief said thoughtfully.

"Enough talk! I, Thunder Hoof, will fling this intruder all the way back to the city of the Claw Feet!" One of the braves said as he stepped forward. He then charged towards me, and he looked like a wolf with the pelt across his head and shoulders.

I quickly sheathed my sword and gathered up dirt from the floor of the lodge. Just as Thunder Hoof was about to gore me with his horns, I threw the dirt into his face, and as he rubbed his eyes, I jumped up and grabbing hold of the wolf pelt and punched him in the face.

As Thunder Hoof fell back onto the floor, I ended up with a wolf pelt in my left hand. As he began to sit up, I pointed my sword at his chest. "It's over."

Thunder Hoof shook his head stubbornly as he reached for his tomahawk, but one of the chief's advisors, also dressed with a feathered headdress, spoke up.

"Wait! This stranger has fought with bravery and honor. My eyes see a great destiny before this one. My chief, listen to the stranger's words."

I stepped forward. "My trusted associates and I have been told that we could find Merriweather Clark here."

"You come for the Claw Foot called Clark. He will be punished for robbing the graves of our ancestors." The Bison chief said.

"The Claw Feet say they want peace, but their words are poison. They come to our burial ground and steal the sacred charms of our grandfathers!"

"The death of the Claw Foot Clark would appease the angry spirits, but there is another way."

"When the spirits are at peace, the Claw Foot Clark will go free. Begin by bringing me the sacred charms. You may speak to Clark before you go."

One of the braves beckoned for us to follow him, and he led us to a small tent with a Chicken, presumably Merriweather Clark guarded by a Bison brave.

Merriweather wore glasses and a wide-brimmed hat, and he wore a red bowtie and green waistcoat over a white shirt and brown trousers.

"You've got to get me out of here!" Merriweather pleaded. "My name is Merriweather Clark."

"My name is Matt Exeter, and we're looking for a map." I answered.

"Well, nothing leaps to mind, but forgive me if I find my current predicament distracting." Merriweather answered.

"Extricate me from the tender mercies of these hulking brutes, and I'll help you find any map you need. I know the source of my hosts' problems."

"I saw a longboat leaving the Bison burial ground full of unsavory types with masks over their faces. It was Johnny Ringo's Red Sash gang!"

"I'd wager the Red Sashes took the Bison's charms. Fight Red Sash boats, until they tell you the way to Hidden Valley Ranch, their hideout."

"Hidden Valley Ranch? It sounds like something I'd put on my salad, but alright." I said as we turned to leave. We boarded the _Aquila _and sailed back to Cooper's Roost Skyway, where we soon found a lone paddle steamer with Chickens with red sashes armed with guns on her decks, but no cannons.

"Swivel guns, aim for the paddle wheels!" I shouted, and as we drew close to the steamer, the swivel guns fired at the paddle wheel, partly disabling her so she could only move in circles.

We turned around for a pass at the other paddle wheel, and our swivel guns destroyed the paddle wheel while the others threw grappling hooks onto the railings of the steamer.

I waited until most of the Red Sashes was stunned by our guns, and then I leapt with the boarding party onto the deck of the steamer.

As I fired my pistol, several Red Sashes surrounded me with their revolvers, and I responded with Gunnery. As more muscular Red Sashes surrounded me, I fired bigger shots with Gunnery, but the sheer number of them was wearing me down.

"I'm going to need more pistols so I don't have to resort to Gunnery so often." I said quietly to myself. While regaining my strength, I continually reloaded and fired at the Red Sashes, until the remaining few surrendered and agreed to give us their cargo.

"The louts had a map to Hidden Valley, captain! Set course straightaway!" Bonnie said as she returned to the _Aquila_ after her search with a roll of paper in her hands.

We soon found Hidden Valley Ranch, built atop a small island in a bay east of Cooper's Roost. Since the dock was unguarded, I assumed most of the gang was out in the Skyways.

"You men stay here and guard this position. See to it that the Red Sashes stay out of the ranch. And as for us, we're going in after the charms." I said to my crew.

Before we left the _Aquila_, I armed myself with three more pistols from the storeroom, and we pushed open the wooden gates to Hidden Valley Ranch.

As we walked to the center of the courtyard, three Red Sashes came out from behind a building, presumably their hideout.

"Are you looking for trouble, little pirate? Well, you found it! Get them!" The leader said.

I said nothing as I pulled out two pistols from their holsters on my belt and fired, stunning the other two Red Sashes before pulling out another pistol from a cross strap across my chest to stun the last one.

I reloaded my pistols, and we stood outside the door. I held up three fingers and counted down from three, and as I said one, Jack kicked down the door to the hideout, and we came in, guns blazing.

"So you're the one's been causing all the trouble! Johnny Ringo's itching to pay you back in kind. He'll be sorry to hear that Monterey Jack found you first." The leader said. He was a red-feathered muscular Chicken, wearing a black top hat and suit with a red tie.

Jack quickly kicked down a table just in time to intercept the bursts of electricity our way, and I leapt out from behind the overturned table to fire two shots at the Red Sashes before landing behind a bunk bed.

I holstered the pistols and drew the other two, and I went out from behind the bunk to take out two more Red Sashes, and I just barely missed the return fire.

I hurriedly reloaded my pistols as the gunfight raged on, but when I came out from behind the bunk, all of the Red Sashes were stunned.

We searched the Red Sashes to find no charms. Old Scratch then pointed to a trapdoor at the far wall. "Look there, my captain! That trap door must lead where they took them charms!"

"Who… Who's there? Help… I need help." A voice called weakly. We hurried over to find an injured Chicken in a corporal's uniform lying on a bed.

"Pirate… please, you have to get me to Cooper's Roost. There's danger around every corner, and I… I can't make it on my own." The Chicken, who introduced himself as Corporal Sanders, pleaded. "My injuries are too grave and the only help for me now is Dr. Coop. Please, Pirate, take pity on me."

I nodded. "Rena, Bonnie, take him back to the _Aquila_. When you return, we're going after the charms."


	3. Chapter 3

**Go West, Young Pirate**

Chapter Three

"What in damnation are you doing down here? Stop them boys, before they get the Bison necklaces!" The Crane leading the Red Sashes cried as he aimed his rifle at us.

Rena leapt out of the way, and ran towards the Crane while the other Red Sashes ran towards us. I reached behind my back and drew two pistols. As I pulled the trigger, two Chicken boxers fell stunned to the floor.

Two more Red Sashes came at me from my sides, but I simply drew the pistols on my cross strap and fired. As I holstered my pistols, another Red Sash ran towards me with black boxing gloves covered with metal spikes.

Suddenly, there was a bang, and the Red Sash fell to reveal Rena holding the unconscious Crane's rifle.

"Since when did you learn how to fire a gun?" I asked. I had learned from my uncle, a veteran of the Polarian Wars.

"Bonnie taught me." Rena answered as she dropped the rifle, as the Crane had used up all of his ammunition. We headed deeper into the cave, where a Crane dressed in green stood out amongst the Red Sashes reloading their guns, and he was holding the Bison necklaces.

"The Duck's going to pay a pretty penny for these Bison beads." The Crane said smugly. He then caught sight of us. "You want that money, boys? Earn it by thrashing these confounded pirates!"

As the Crane in green ran away, the Red Sashes fired their guns, forcing us to duck for cover. Bonnie, Emmett, and I reloaded our guns and returned fire, stunning seven of the Red Sashes shooting at us.

With their long-range support significantly weakened, the Red Sashes braced themselves as we drew our swords. As a Red Sash threw a punch at me, I blocked it with the flat of my blade, causing him to hop backwards, trying to shake away the pain from his hand.

I slammed the flat of my blade into the Red Sash's stomach, and he lied on the ground, groaning while I moved to my next target, reloading my pistol.

I suddenly felt my knees buckle and I hit the ground on my side, catching sight of a Red Sash holding a smoking revolver. I aimed my pistol and stunned my attacker, and I crawled behind cover to reload my pistols until my stunned leg recovered.

As the sounds of gunfire faded away, Rena came to me, sword drawn and pulled me up. "Can you walk?"

"I think so." I answered as I tested my leg. We ran to the center of the cave to regroup with the others.

"The Crane took them charms! Don't let him get away!" Old Scratch cried as he pointed to a ladder leading up to a hole with sunlight pouring in.

I was the last one to emerge from the hole back outside the hideout, where the red paddle steamer was docked.

"Run to the boat! We got to get them charms!" Old Scratch cried as the paddle steamer's paddle wheels began turning and the paddle steamer began to move away from the dock. We all ran and jumped onto the railings of the steamer from the dock, where we scurried up onto the deck.

I fired my pistols at the Red Sashes, and drew my sword to engage them in close combat. "Get the Crane in green!"

Ratbeard kicked a Red Sash with his peg leg, and Jack blocked a punch with the flat of his sword. Emmett fired his two pistols, and Rena fired a rifle taken from an unconscious Crane. A giant skeletal hand waved itself over a group of Red Sashes, and their feet were encased in ice, and I knew Old Scratch was working his hoodoo.

I saw the _Aquila_ move in front of the paddle steamer, preventing its escape, with the port guns ready to fire in case the paddle steamer tried to move backwards.

I leapt out of the way of an electrical burst and landed in front of another Red Sash, whom I promptly knocked out with the flat of my blade. I spotted the Crane in green hiding at the stern of the paddle steamer, and I quickly began reloading my pistols.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the Crane in green fell onto the deck, stunned. My head swerved to find Bonnie with smoke pouring out of her Scaramanga musket atop a barrel.

"Now we just have to get to the necklaces." I said. One Red Sash stepped in my path, but I simply ran to the right and vaulted over a barrel on its side while firing an electrical burst into the Red Sash's side from my pistol.

I drew two more pistols and stunned two more Red Sashes, and only a few handfuls were left, and even then, they were being routed by the others. I ran over to help Rena, who was the closest one to me, and we beat back the Red Sashes with the flats of our blades.

Bonnie whacked the Red Sashes surrounding her with the butt of her musket, and Emmett was using his pistols as hammers.

Jack was fist-fighting the Chicken boxers, as his sword had been separated from him, and Old Scratch kept zapping his opponents with purple lightning.

Ratbeard's cutlass and peg leg knocked out his opponents, and as the last of the Red Sashes fell to the deck, stunned by a well-placed shot from Bonnie, we regrouped around the unconscious body of the Crane in green.

"We got the charms, Captain my Captain. Now we take them to the Bison chief." Old Scratch said as Rena took the charms off the unconscious Crane in green's body.

We sailed triumphantly back to Elder Bluff aboard the _Aquila_, where two Bison braves led us to their chief, who properly introduced himself as Seven Storms after we handed him the charms.

"So, Sky Captain, you have kept your word. You have more honor than the Claw Feet. If you would set Clark free, there is one more thing you must do." Seven Storms said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The graves of our grandfathers have been desecrated, and their spirits bellow for vengeance!"

"You have brought back our sacred charms, now you must set things right. Go to the burial ground, and place the charms on the desecrated graves."

"Angry spirits will resist you – you must overcome them. If your body is strong and your heart is pure, you will undo the wrong that has been done."

"Very well then, we'll go." I said as we turned to leave. We sailed back to Cooper's Roost Skyway and to the Bison burial ground, where as soon as we opened the wooden gates leading into where the Bison were actually buried, several ghostly Bison attacked us.

We fired our guns and stunned several of them, and I drew my sword as I ran towards the Bison ghosts. As one Bison warrior raised his tomahawk, I sliced its wooden handle in half with my sword, and then spun around to slash horizontally across his stomach, defeating him.

Then Rena was there alongside me, and she pulled me out of the way of an arrow while she parried a Bison ghost's tomahawk. I stabbed her attacker in the stomach, and we stood back-to-back, surrounded by angry Bison ghosts.

I blocked the blade of a tomahawk with the flat of my sword, and then kicked my attacker in the stomach. I slashed downwards into the head of the Bison, defeating him.

Rena threw a smoke bomb at her feet, and as the black smoke rose, she seized my wrist and led me out, where Bonnie and Emmett were preparing to fire.

I quickly reloaded my pistols, and we fired into the smoke, which faded to reveal no one there. Rena handed me the necklaces and I placed them atop the small mounds of dirt I saw.

As I put the necklace on the last grave, an unarmed Bison spirit rose out of the dirt. "Our graves are restored. Who are you who do this?"

"I'm Captain Matthew Exeter, and these are my trusted associates." I said, gesturing to the others.

"Hornless ones, you have done a good deed, a deed you did not need to do. The spirits rejoice in your bravery." The Bison spirit said with contentedness as he sank back into the ground.

"Let's get back to Elder Bluff, everyone." I said as I turned to address the others. We sailed back to Elder Bluff, where we sat with Seven Storms in his tent.

"My eyes see with joy. You have done what you promised, and restored harmony to the spirits of our grandfathers." Seven Storms said.

"The Claw Foot Clark is free. Take him back to his people, and tell them that the Big Sky Hunters keep our word."

Merriweather Clark then ran to us, followed by the Bison warrior guarding.

"You're back! I cannot thank you enough, my friends." Merriweather said. "You're looking for a map of some kind? It's probably one of my father's charts. I'll be happy to help you find it, once we're far away from here!"

"I've kept all of my father's charts and papers, back home in Cooper's Roost. Will you take me home?"

I nodded as we stood up to leave. "Thank you for your hospitality, sir."

We boarded the _Aquila _and sailed back to Cooper's Roost, where as we made port, a Chicken walked up to us and said: "I have a delivery for a Mr. Exeter."

"That would be me." I said. The Chicken beckoned for me to follow him, and he led me to a small boat filled with bananas, and a note.

_I figured I owed you these after getting me off the Isle of Doom. – William and Gwendolyn. _

There was also a photograph enclosed with the letter, depicting a friend, Hezekiah William, and a jackalope, whom I assumed must be Gwendolyn, aboard his gondola.

I returned to the _Aquila _and sent a few men over to fetch the bananas, and I and my trusted associates along with Merriweather helped Corporal Sanders to Dr. Coop's office, where he was laid onto a bed for Dr. Elmore Coop and Nurse Quinn to examine him.

"The corporal's injuries are severe, but thanks to you, he's alive and clucking! Well done." Dr. Coop said. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear. We'll be going to the Clark place if you need us." I said as we turned to leave. We walked up to the old Clark place, where Merriweather opened the door, and we entered, only to find Red Sashes aiming their revolvers at us.

Their leader was a black Mustang with a white sombrero. Merriweather whispered in my ear: "That's Johnny Ringo, leader of the Red Sashes!"

"Thought you could break the Red Sash Gang, did you? Well, we followed you home, and now I'll show you who's going to break! Get them, boys!"

I leapt and landed behind a couch just as the Red Sashes fired, and we returned fire. I heard the table being turned onto its side, and I saw Bonnie and Emmett peeking out from behind it as they reloaded.

I quickly fired all of my pistols at the Red Sashes, stunning a good portion of them, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Johnny Ringo preparing to fire.

Suddenly, there was a crash, and Johnny Ringo fell unconscious onto the floor, with Merriweather holding a broken bottle behind him.

With this distraction, Bonnie and Emmett quickly took out the other Red Sashes. A half hour later, as the Red Sashes were being carted away by the sheriff and his deputy, we spoke inside the house.

"I've lived a quiet life for twenty years, and now I'm attacked by outlaws and Bison in the same day!" Merriweather said.

"It's Marco Pollo's map you're looking for, isn't it? That map was my father's dearest possession. I swore to him that I would keep it secret."

"You're not the first who's asked for it, you know. But you are the first who saved my life. Marco Pollo's map is in the cave under Scorpion Rock, in Big Sky Country."

I nodded as I stood up to leave. "Thank you, Merriweather."

We boarded the _Aquila_ and as I gripped the pilot's wheel, I called out: "Set sail for Scorpion Rock!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Go West, Young Pirate**

Chapter Four

"Ugh! They didn't just name the place for its looks. The whole cave is crawling with scorpions! Watch your step!" Bonnie cried as we stumbled across a swarm of large scorpions in the cave at Scorpion Rock.

One scorpion swung its tail at my leg, and it managed to rip a tear in my pants. I stunned it with my pistol and then crushed it underneath my boot.

Ratbeard stomped a hole through a scorpion with his peg leg, and then used his boot to remove the scorpion's body, still impaled on his peg leg.

Ratbeard cleaved through another scorpion with his cutlass, and I cut off the tail of another with my sword. The others had moved to take care of the other scorpions creeping up behind us, so it was just the two of us.

I kicked another scorpion away and stabbed another one, and one scorpion managed to grab hold of Ratbeard's peg leg with its claw, and Ratbeard was trying to shake it off.

I fired my pistol, and the scorpion was blasted off into its fellow arachnids. Ratbeard nodded his thanks as he swiped at another scorpion.

Then, skeletal cowboys armed with revolvers came from deeper within the cave, and I immediately turned my attentions to them while Ratbeard covered me from the scorpions.

I fired my last two pistols, stunning two of the skeletal cowboys, and engaged the rest with my sword. Jack, the closest one to us, ran to help me with his cutlass, and he decapitated one skeletal cowboy, sending his skull flying into the others.

Jack picked up the skeletal cowboy's revolver and fired at the skeletal cowboys until it was empty, then dropped it so he could deliver a critical two-handed strike into the skull of another skeletal cowboy.

Jack tripped another skeletal cowboy and stabbed him in the eye socket, while I defeated another hurrying to reload.

As I swung my sword at another skeletal cowboy, he managed to fire a wild shot that caught Jack in the shoulder, sending him reeling back with his left arm incapacitated.

I chopped off his attacker's hand and then slammed the flat of my blade so hard into his skull that it was sent flying into the wall.

A giant skeletal hand then emerged from the cave's roof, snatched up some scorpions, and tossed them onto the skeletal cowboys. "Thank you, Scratch!"

There was some more gunfire from behind us, and scorpions and skeletons alike were stunned by Bonnie and Emmett.

Rena ran to help us at the front lines, and after a few more minutes, the few remaining scorpions scuttled off from the scattered bones.

We took a few minutes to clean our wounds with the clear water inside the cave, and dress them with bandages Rena had brought.

I was content with Ratbeard, the least injured of us, leading the way, and he stopped us as we came to a bend in the cave, and he peered behind the wall.

"I spy something under that bone heap, but that big lady scorpion seems to have laid claim to it." Ratbeard said.

I took a deep breath as I reloaded my pistols. "Well, I don't care how big that scorpion is- OH MY TITANS!"

A huge purple scorpion the size of a fishing boat stood in front of a large pile of bones, and she hissed at us and snapped her claws. "Well, at least we know how the cowboys came to an end."

She scuttled towards us with the speed of a charging bull, and she smashed the stalagmites that came in her way. All four of my pistol shots struck the same leg, but it didn't seem to affect her movement much.

As she spotted me, she hissed and snapped her claws, but I used a broken stalagmite as a springboard onto her fairly flat back, where I now had her tail to contend with.

Her tail lunged forward, and I rolled out of the way, and her tail just stopped short of her back. I wasn't so lucky the next time though, as the barbed tail left a light gash that stretched from my stomach to my chest, and I could already feel sharp, unpleasant stings around the wound.

As the tail lunged again, the edge of my sword found a chink in her armor, and it managed to pass clean through, and the tip of the tail bounced onto the floor.

The scorpion shrieked and she bucked me off, and I crawled behind some rocks. Already, I could feel myself drifting into unconsciousness. "If I don't become scorpion food, every man aboard the _Aquila_ will have an extra three silver coins and an extra ration of Yum…"

"Matt, Matt, wake up!" A familiar voice cried. I slowly opened my eyes and sat up to find myself shirtless, the wound across my torso already cleaned and dressed by Rena, who was kneeling next to me. My shirt and coat were folded neatly next to me, and Rena helped me to put them on.

As we slowly walked to join the others, Rena gave me a brief report on what happened after I passed out. She had thrown a smoke bomb into the mouth of the scorpion, forcing her to keep it open so that Jack and Ratbeard could stab it in the mouth while Old Scratch restrained her with hoodoo.

"Ah ha, it's a chest – the map must be in here…" Ratbeard said as we drew closer. He opened the unlocked chest and peered inside. "It's gone! There's nothing here but this note."

"_To the craven coward Christopher Clark,_

_Marco Pollo sought to hide his precious map from me, but he has failed! I have taken his ship, his gold, and his map. And now I'll take El Dorado for good measure! _

_Sincerely,  
Captain Blood" _

"I've never heard of Captain Blood." Bonnie remarked as Ratbeard finished reading aloud.

"I have: 'tis a dark name, of a dread pirate with strong mojo. But where to find him or him treasure I do not know." Old Scratch answered.

"Captain Blood and the Clarks were enemies. Merriweather may be able to help." Rena said. We returned to the _Aquila_, where I was laid in a hammock in the sick bay, and told in no uncertain terms by Rena to stay put while we sailed back to Cooper's Roost.

It was just before waking hours as we arrived at Cooper's Roost. We walked up to the Clark place, where Merriweather opened the door and invited us inside, where we then told him what happened.

"Stolen? I can't believe it! My father buried the map in the first place to keep it _away _from Captain Blood." Merriweather cried. "You've got to get that map back, no matter the cost!"

"Sadly I don't know very much about Captain Blood. He was an infamous pirate, but they say he died when I was a boy."

"Blood had a hidden lair somewhere in Cool Ranch, and I don't believe it was ever found. It stands to reason that the map should still be there!"

"Go talk to Sheriff Cogburn at the jail. He's kept the law in Cooper's Roost for forty years, and may know more about Captain Blood."

We nodded in thanks as we left and headed for the sheriff's office, which was open, I noted approvingly. We entered the sheriff's office to find a middle-aged Rooster, still in good shape, contemplating the wanted posters up on the wall from his desk.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know anything about Captain Blood?" I asked.

"Well sure, I know of him. That viper sacked Cooper's Roost twice!" Sheriff Cogburn said.

"Then do you know where his hideout and treasure is?" I asked.

"How am I supposed to know where his hideout is? You think if I found Captain Blood's treasure, I'd be here talking to whippersnappers like you?" Sheriff Cogburn snapped. I guess it was pretty stupid to ask.

"I can't help you. You want to talk to Wild Bill, over at the Silver Spur. He knows the ins and outs of Cool Ranch better than anyone."

My stomach rumbled. "Well, we'll be able to hit two birds with one stone, at any rate. Let's go get something to eat."

We walked into the open Silver Spur Saloon, where a Peacock dressed in a red waistcoat over a white shirt, and an apron tied around his waist was standing behind the counter.

"Would you like some cackleberries and some overland trout?" The Peacock asked gruffly. I slowly nodded and he went into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned with a plateful of eggs and bacon, along with a glass of water. I nodded my thanks and began eating.

After I had finished my meal, I spoke up. "I've been told that Wild Bill could tell me about Captain Blood."

"Captain Blood. Now there's a name. Years after his death, he still casts a long shadow." The Peacock, apparently Wild Bill, said thoughtfully as he took my plate and glass. "I spent my youth looking for Captain Blood's hidden lair, and sadly I never found it."

"There are hundreds of legends about Captain Blood. The historian, Argleston, I reckon he's heard them all. He's right over there." Wild Bill said as he pointed to the only other patron that wasn't a part of my crew: an elderly Dog with glasses enjoying an early breakfast of stew and toast.

I nodded as I left some money on the counter to pay for my meal. I walked over and sat down across from Argleston, who had finished his breakfast.

Miss Jane took his plate and glass away, and Argleston smiled kindly at me. "Greetings young Wizard - I mean, Pirate! I beg your pardon, old habits and all that. What can I do for you?"

"I want to know more about Captain Blood." I answered.

"Captain Blood, you say? Captain Barnabus Blood is one of the most infamous pirates in history. I have his picture here." Argleston said as he produced an old photo from his jacket.

The photo was of a man entering his sixties with long greasy hair, a black eye patch, a hook for hand, and a sword, dressed in a three-cornered hat and coat scowling at the camera, showing off his stellar smile of crooked yellow teeth.

"Some say Blood was so evil, Death wouldn't claim him. He stole all the gold Marco Pollo brought back from El Dorado, and hid it here in Cool Ranch!" Argleston said.

"I've no idea where Captain Blood's secret lair might be – the confounded thing's a secret! I can think of only one person who might know…"

"The surest method of finding Captain Blood's lair is to find the legendary masked hero who defeated Captain Blood: El Toro. Not an easy man to find…"

"Who's El Toro, sir?" I asked.

"El Toro is the protector of Santo Pollo village. It so happens I've been corresponding with Dr. Diaz, a scientist who lives in Santo Pollo." Argleston answered.

"I'll give you papers that will get you into Santo Pollo Skyway. Would you be so good as to deliver this letter to Diaz for me?"

"Of course I will. Have you paid your bill yet?" I asked. Argleston shook his head just as Miss Jane arrived with the bill, and before he could reach for his wallet, my coins clattered onto the table.

"Thank you, sir." I said to Argleston before standing up to leave. The others had already finished their breakfasts, and we hurried back to the _Aquila_, where I retook my post at the helm, with Rena beside me at my left.

"Santo Pollo Skyway is to the northwest." Rena said as she looked at the atlas written by our friend and landlord, Nikolai Volkov.

I nodded as the white sails of the _Aquila _unfurled. "Set sail for Santo Pollo!"


End file.
